“When the MBP Priests Met the real Priests at the CMMA”
A month ago, I received a text message from Ms. Beegee Soldao, Executive Producer of ABS-CBN’s “May Bukas Pa” (MBP). She asked if I would be available to attend the 31st Catholic Mass Media Awards (CMMA) on October 14, 2009. She added that MBP will receive a Special Award from the CMMA. All of the MBP “priests” together with Zaijian Jaranilla (Santino) will receive the Special Award for the show. I immediately texted her back that I am available on that day.
A day before the 31st CMMA, there were no details yet as to what we will wear, where will the venue be at what time are we suppose to be at the venue. In my excitement, I texted Beegee for details. I also texted Jaime Fabregas and Dominic Ochoa if they had already received text messages on these.
Jaime told me that she also texted Beegee for details. Dom on the other hand was surprised to be reminded with my text about the CMMA awards night. He said he was not able to put it in his calendar.
When Beegee finally texted me that the CMMA will be at the San Carlos Seminary along EDSA in Makati and that we will be wearing our priest wear and be in our “priest” characters, I told myself, the MBP priests will meet the real priests at the 31st CMMA!
I had to log out “under time” from my office at 3:31 p.m. having made an estimate of 30 minutes driving time from East Avenue in Quezon City to the San Carlos Seminary in Guadalupe, Makati City. I parked my car inside the Seminary at exactly 4:00 p.m. and I immediately saw our show’s wardrobe staff who led me to the Rector’s Office, our holding area. My “co-priests” Jaime Fabregas, Lito Pimentel and Ruben Gonzaga were already inside the Rector’s Office when I went inside. A few minutes later Andre Tiangco joined us. Dominic called me up and asked if it would still be advisable for him to follow. I asked the staff of the Events Organizers what time are they expecting Dominic to be at the venue since he and Jaime were assigned to be presenters of the nominees and the winners. They said 5:45 p.m.
At 4:30 p.m., one of the staff from the Events Organizer led us to the dining area where there was a buffet table. We picked up some food for merienda. Before 5:00 p.m., we went inside the hall. We noticed the arrival of His Eminence Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales, D.D. and Most Reverend Edward Joseph Adams, Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines. At exactly 5:05 p.m. a voice over made an announcement that any moment, the 31st CMMA will start. One thing remarkable with the CMMA was that it started promptly. Good, the keynote speech of the Papal Nuncio was long, Dominic who arrived a few minutes before 6:00 p.m. was able to catch his number as presenter. Jaime was in a gray suit when he went on stage as presenter. At the last minute, Lito Pimentel became a presenter to take the place of someone who did not arrive. Lito was frank to ask if it is okay since he was not wearing something formal as presenter. After Jaime and Lito, Dominic who was wearing an elegant Barong Tagalog was able to make it. But, we were not able to watch Dominic as we were already advised to return to the holding area to change to our costumes.
Wearing the priestly wear, we walked to the briefing area at the back stage waiting for our cue to be called in on stage. The real priests approached us the MBP Priests asking for picture taking with us! All of them, were so proud to tell us that they had been closely following our TV show!
Kyle Balili sang May Bukas Pa theme song. It was our cue. A presenter called in Cardinal Rosales on stage. The Cardinal was set to hand over to us the Special Award Trophy. Zaijian Jaranilla (Santino) led us to the stage where we were so honored to receive the Special Award from the CMMA citing the show for being able to tackle on catholic values during this modern time. I felt so privileged to have kissed the hand of His Eminence Cardinal Rosales. The rest of the MBP priests likewise kissed the Cardinal’s hand.
After we received the award, we changed our costumes and we wore civilian clothes. We joined our Director Jerome Chavez Pobocan at the hall as we waited for the announcement of the nominees for the Best TV Drama Series/Program Category and the announcement of the winner. May Bukas Pa was nominated along with ABS-CBN’s Tayong Dalawa and Maalaala Mo Kaya and GMA 7’s Obra. We were so jubilant to hear the announcement from the presenter: “and the winner is, oh, we have a tie, May Bukas Pa and Tayong Dalawa!
I felt I was walking on cloud nine as I joined our Director Jerome Chavez Pobocan, Zaijian Jaranilla and the rest of the MBP Priests in going up the stage to receive our second trophy from the CMMA!
Since there was no one from Tayong Dalawa to receive their trophy, Director Pobocan went up the stage again to receive the trophy of Tayong Dalawa!
The 31st Catholic Mass Media awards gave us our first award, which for me is the most important considering that the award came from the institution whose priests are the ones that we the MBP priests are portraying!
